Chapter 163: Chapter 161: Transformation, Tongxuan, Three Souls Gradually Infected
Soon, Fu Juemin shook his head. He focused his consciousness on the "+" sign after "Five Beasts Skill" and tapped it.
"Five Beasts Skill" instantly changed from "Entry Level" to "Mastery."
A torrent of memories, like a raging river, flooded his mind. Fu Juemin’s pupils lost focus slightly as countless images and flashes of light flickered through his eyes.
Every frame showed his silhouette, engrossed in the painstaking cultivation of the three hundred and ninety-six techniques of the Five Beasts Five Forms.
Hundreds of times, thousands of times...
Countless phantom images of his training transformed into streams of light, merging into his body one after another. With each fusion, Fu Juemin’s insight into the Five Beasts Five Forms deepened.
During this process, Fu Juemin noticed some slight changes in his physique.
They weren’t obvious—more like a refinement and polishing of the finer details, akin to the final buffing of a jade carving before it is finished.
Qi Blood billowed like smoke, and a clear qi began to rise from his five viscera...
When it all receded like the tide, the light returned to Fu Juemin’s eyes. As he took stock of the changes within him, the first thing he felt was that his body had become exceptionally "fluid."
This "fluidity" stemmed from a deeper level of muscle control.
Fu Juemin could clearly feel that he could now mobilize "more" of his body’s muscles. He was like a complex and precise instrument; every movement engaged countless internal "gears" to work in concert.
The complexity of the Five Forms of Dynamic Skills within the Five Beasts Skill far surpassed the vast majority of martial arts techniques in the world.
Its nearly four hundred active techniques perfectly embodied the true nature of the Five Beasts. After he reached the "Mastery" level, Fu Juemin’s entire system of techniques had been thoroughly "optimized."
His moves became more concise, his exertion of force more refined. His entire aura, its sharp edges now retracted, grew more well-rounded and harmonious.
’According to Ye Zhenren, I should have already reached the ’Transformation’ realm of the Five Beasts Skill.’
What was Transformation?
The ability to switch between the five forms and five styles at will, with techniques flowing effortlessly. No fixed routines, no constraints of animal forms, just Force circulating smoothly as one pleases.
’Force?’
At the thought, Fu Juemin’s Qi Blood instantly began to circulate, and an invisible, thin membrane silently enveloped his entire body.
To permeate the entire body—this was Tongxuan!
He had expected it, but to break through so easily still came as a surprise to Fu Juemin.
On his character panel, the bonus Attributes for Master Level Five Beasts Skill were displayed as (Life +4, Attack +3). However, a portion of the extra 2 [Life] and 3 [Attack] points was overwritten.
His Life had only increased by 1 point. While his Attack showed a 2-point increase on the panel, the direct effect on his Qi Blood was likely less than 1 point. Fu Juemin could feel that his Qi Blood hadn’t grown much; most of the benefit had gone to "Technique."
’The line between the Blood Barrier and Tongxuan was never that distinct anyway. After all, breaking the Blood Barrier is what lets you generate Vitality in the first place. Tongxuan is just a higher-level application of that Vitality. It’s normal for the increase in Qi Blood to be less obvious...’
But the hidden increase to his Defense Force must be substantial. From now on, whether it was a bullet from a foreign rifle or an attack from a fist, foot, or blade, it would first have to strike the Qi Membrane covering his body.
With the strength of his Qi Blood, even though he had just entered Tongxuan, the toughness of his Qi Membrane was probably even greater than that of an average cultivator in the Late Stage of Tongxuan.
The vortex of Innate Primordial Qi in his Dantian had also grown larger. This now served as Fu Juemin’s "energy bar" for activating his [Demon Body]. It was linked to his [Life]—the more, the better.
’Time to test the most crucial part.’
After assessing the many changes within himself, a glint flashed in Fu Juemin’s eyes, and he slowly raised his right hand.
Seeing Fu Juemin standing motionless with his back to them, Xu Hengjiang, Gu Shouyu, and the others were confused but didn’t approach to investigate.
What they couldn’t see was this: under the moonlight, Fu Juemin’s hand—made exceptionally perfect and slender by his Great Success in the Pharmacist Skill—was emitting a series of faint, grinding cracks. KAKAKA.
Then, starting from his elbow, his suit jacket and shirt silently ripped open. The flesh beneath revealed patches of bewitching, ancient-looking, dark-red rust. His entire forearm began to swell, and the knuckles of his fingers bulged violently...
A moment later, nearly two-thirds of Fu Juemin’s right arm had swelled to many times its original size. It was completely covered in dark-red rust spots, between which flowed faint traces of orange-red light. The pattern resembled some ancient, demonic tattoo, or perhaps a bizarre suit of scales. Underneath... it seemed faint bone spurs were beginning to emerge.
Fu Juemin now looked like a handsome, refined Young Master... who just happened to have the arm of a Demon Fiend.
The cold moonlight failed to illuminate the sinister grotesquerie of the scene.
Haaa—
Fu Juemin exhaled softly. Feeling the stability of his right arm, a look of satisfaction slowly spread across his face.
He had chosen to upgrade his Five Beasts Skill primarily to gain greater and stronger control over his physical body.
The results were quite good. Not only could he better harmonize the power of the three Demon Soul Seeds, but he could also confine the effects of activating all three of his Talents to a single arm.
’This way, when I fight, as long as I’m fast enough at activating and deactivating it, it won’t be too outrageously shocking...’
’Activating all three Talents at once is the [Demon Body] form of the Three Souls in One Body.
So if I activate it partially like this...’
Fu Juemin thought for a moment, then decided to name it—"Three Souls Gradually Infected."
Three Souls Gradually Infected—a partial demonization of his body—was enough to elevate his combat power in his normal state to a considerable level.
Having finished his experiment, Fu Juemin retracted his Talents. Only then did his gaze fall upon the pile of shattered bones at his feet.
This pile of shattered bones must be the remains of that Patrolling Evil Soul. And what caused its Soul Body to mutate was likely the Iron Waist Token among the bones, which clearly looked like an artifact from a previous dynasty.
The entire waist token was so corroded and rusted it was unrecognizable. Fu Juemin casually nudged it with his foot and suddenly called out, "Big Cat."
Big Cat emerged quickly from a dark corner of the warehouse, followed by Xu Hengjiang and the others.
This was the first time the remnants of the Ghost Camp had seen Fu Juemin in action. After witnessing him dispatch the ferocious-looking Patrolling Evil Soul in just a few moves, the way they looked at him changed, their awe growing ever deeper.
"Has the arms shipment from Shen Yijun arrived?"
Fu Juemin asked. Big Cat nodded, leaned in, and reported something in a low whisper.
As he listened, Fu Juemin’s eyes lit up. He couldn’t help but remark, "The Shen Family certainly has its methods. Tomorrow..."
He turned his head to look at Xu Hengjiang and casually ordered, "You’ll come with me to inspect the goods."
Xu Hengjiang’s face lit up with interest. But just as he nodded in agreement, Big Cat interjected, "Young Master, tomorrow... is the Shenghai Martial Arts Association’s Champion Conferment Ceremony."
"So soon?"
Fu Juemin was taken aback.
"The association has been sending people over to remind us for several days now."
Big Cat’s tone was calm. "Will you be attending, Young Master?"
"I’m going. Why wouldn’t I?"
A glint flashed in Fu Juemin’s eyes. After a moment of thought, he smiled at Xu Hengjiang. "In that case, we won’t wait for tomorrow. Bring your men and come with me to inspect the goods tonight."
He glanced down—Gu Shouyu was squatting on the ground, carefully examining the shattered bones and the waist token—and added,
"Gather all this up. We’ll send it over to Shen Yijun later as well..."
"Yes."
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